How Erika & Liam Hardman Design Through Disruption

By Meredith Constant

In 2018, Erika and Liam Hardman of Hardman Design were expanding their self-described “mom & pop” furniture business in Berlin to a production partner in Ukraine. Then the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world. Once everything started opening up again, the war in Ukraine began.

The war still looms large, leading to occasional power outages and a loss of personnel as a result of military conscription. These experiences have only reaffirmed the duo's commitment to the brand's core principles of intentionally crafted, customizable furniture pieces that stand the test of time.

We caught up with Erika and Liam as they prepare to open their second showroom in NYC.

What drove your initial decision to find a production partner in Ukraine?

At the time, there was a burgeoning opportunity in Ukraine. They were soon to be joining the EU, plus the free trade agreement. And they have an abundance of natural materials.

There must have been shipping delays. How did customers react?

Because of COVID and the EU shutting its borders, we couldn't bring any furniture in for 30 days. I reached out to every single customer and said, “We're still producing, but we're not delivering.” It was the most daunting thing, but we didn't get one cancellation. The reaction was kind of a testament to the connection we have to the customer.

You started in Berlin, your production partner is in Ukraine, you’ve lived in France, California, and now NYC. How have these locations influenced your work?

Germany is all about quality, craftsmanship, and solid wood; in France, people like investing in something timeless. In Europe, you are thinking about smaller items. In California, it became bigger spaces. New York just brings amazing energy from having an inspiring design community.

How difficult is it to stay committed to designing furniture with permanence in mind in this trend-cycling, “gotta-have-it-yesterday” kind of world we live in?

We make a conscious decision when developing new designs that although they bear an influence, we're not leaning into that. We're looking at the integrity of the piece; it’s going to look good, but also function for many years to come. That's where we like to start to avoid flip-flopping from design to design to a piece and segment.

How do those considerations factor into designing for commercial spaces?

In commercial spaces, you have so many people who will come through and try your furniture. It’s different from residential, where you design something for a specific family. That means [the pieces] need to be so strong. You need to consider maybe adding an extra metal plate at the bottom or something to make it more stable over time. But it’s all the same theme. It's a scale. The scale goes from a single customer to 100 customers in a single order. ⬥